


walk with you

by Fluffifullness



Series: Tumblr MakoHaru Festival [3]
Category: Free!
Genre: Cold, Cold Weather, Fluff, Holding Hands, M/M, One Shot, Prompt Fic, Tumblr: makoharufestival, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-19
Updated: 2014-01-19
Packaged: 2018-01-09 09:20:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1144265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fluffifullness/pseuds/Fluffifullness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Practice runs late, it's cold outside, and they're both pretty lacking in warm clothes for the return walk home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	walk with you

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "holding hands" challenge of the [makoharu festival on tumblr](http://makoharufestival.tumblr.com/). The tumblr post is [here](http://makoharufestival.tumblr.com/post/73935665819/challenge-holding-hands-user-fluffifullness?utm_medium=email&utm_source=html&utm_campaign=submission_published&utm_term=respond_link).

“Looks like the sun’s finally going down, doesn’t it?”

Haru slowly raises his eyes toward Makoto and then frowns into the narrow folds of his scarf. “It’s been down all day.”

Makoto laughs. “Well, yeah, I guess that’s true.” It’s been cloudy almost all day, starting just before their lunch period and stretching on past a late indoor practice – and now it’s early evening and they’re finally on their way home, cold and shivering and eager to get back inside. Makoto can’t be sure about Haru, but he knows that his own hair – still damp after a quick shower and towel-drying – is probably amplifying the temperature’s impact a hundred fold. He regrets not remembering to bring a hat with him when he left for school this morning.

And, well, he’s usually the one reminding Haru to take a hat or a coat or an umbrella along, too, so it’s no surprise that all he has is a too-thin jacket and that old scarf.

“Guess we should’ve thought ahead a little more,” he teases lightly. Not too many of their classmates had anticipated just one extra-cold day, either, though; there hadn’t been enough warning signs to prompt many people to check the forecasts before heading out to school and work.

He hopes silently and for the hundredth time that Ran and Ren have been doing alright.

Haru swallows thickly and then nods – all without looking at Makoto. “Next time,” he says vaguely.

“Hm? Haru, you okay? You’re looking pretty pale.”

Haru _huff_ s irritably and turns away from Makoto.

“Are you cold?” Makoto prompts again, more gently this time.

“No,” Haru mutters. “I’m – tired. Lifting weights isn’t fun.”

Makoto smiles. “The weather’ll be warm enough for swimming before you know it.”

Haru only bows his head and hunches shoulders in response.

They walk like that for a while. Makoto mulls over possible things to say, but even he’s less capable of carrying on a conversation when so much of his attention is focused on just reaching someplace warm. He doesn’t understand how Haru can be thinking about swimming even at a time like this.

_A-choo!_

Makoto jumps a little and turns to the shorter teen. “H-Haru?”

Haru sniffles a little and lowers his head even more. “I’m fine.”

“Jeez,” Makoto sighs fondly. “You’re cold, aren’t you? Wanna trade coats for a bit?”

“Like mine’d even fit you,” Haru mutters.

A shiver runs through Makoto as he laughs, so the sound comes out bubbly and nervous-seeming. “Then how about holding hands?” To illustrate his point – or perhaps to verify that he’s serious – he removes his ungloved hand from his pocket and holds it out to Haru. “You forgot gloves, too, didn’t you?”

Haru raises his eyes to stare at that hand for what seems like minutes. Makoto’s just about to pull it away when Haru suddenly takes it in both hands and stops mid-stride.

“Is something wrong?”

“No,” Haru says quietly – and then, more loudly, “No. Is this okay?”

His cheeks turn a little extra pink as he moves close to Makoto and slips both their hands into the pocket of his own jacket.

“It’s warmer like this,” he mumbles when Makoto doesn’t say or do anything right away.

And then something swells in his chest; all he can do is grin like an idiot and nod enthusiastic permission. Haru finally looks back down at the ground in front of him, but his expression’s softened by then, anyway.

“Let’s get going,” he says. “It’s freezing out here.”


End file.
